


Perfect Harmony in a Stranger's World

by Nebula5030



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Assassination Attempt(s), Chicken Drama, Domestic Fluff, Elyan Centric, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Golden Age AU, Good Mordred (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Little Spoon!Percival rights, M/M, Politics, Psychic Mordred, Running a Kingdom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23183617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nebula5030/pseuds/Nebula5030
Summary: "You - you want me to be the Regent?"When Arthur and Gwen leave to attend a conference in Nemeth, Elyan is appointed Regent and tasked with running the kingdom while they're away.  But between disputes over a chicken, lords who never liked Arthur's common born knights, and others who will do anything to gain his approval, Elyan finds he barely has time to even think.But luckily for him, Percival is right there with open arms and ears, and maybe an open heart as well.
Relationships: Elyan & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Elyan & Gwaine, Elyan & Gwen (Merlin), Elyan & Mordred, Elyan/Percival (Merlin), Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 56
Collections: Merlin Rarepair Hub, Merlin Rarepair Swap - Round 5





	Perfect Harmony in a Stranger's World

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sadpendragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sadpendragon/gifts).



> For the wonderful sadpendragon, who finally gave me an excuse to write this ship lmao  
> I hope you enjoy!! 🥰
> 
> Written for the [Merlin Rarepair Swap](https://merlin-rarepair-swap.tumblr.com/).  
> And thank you to [Lion_owl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lion_owl/pseuds/Lion_owl) for the lookover and for running this swap (and for naming the chicken lmao)! 💖
> 
> ~
> 
> _We met up on the stage in the safe Heartland_  
>  _started lending each other a hand_  
>  _Huddled in the light, conspired in the moonlight_  
>  _Perfect harmony in a stranger's world_  
>  _No news that something was wrong at all_  
>  _until we drummed and laughed 'til dawn_  
>  _Two nights later, left half-alive_  
>  _Staying up unloading deep dreams until five_ — _That One Song,_ SJ Tucker 

“You - you want me to be the Regent?”

Elyan was almost certain he had heard Arthur incorrectly - but somehow he knew he hadn’t.

Arthur sat across from Elyan at his desk, meeting Elyan’s eyes. He nodded. “Yes. I do.” He let out a short breath and straightened. “Elyan, you are an intelligent, loyal, and worthy knight who has stayed by my side for many years. You are the queen’s brother and therefore my - the _king’s_ \- brother-in-law. There is no one better suited to the position than you.” Arthur gave him a reassuring smile. “And even then, it’s only for three weeks. Guinevere and I won’t be gone for very long.”

Gwen, Arthur, Merlin, and a handful of knights would be traveling to Nemeth to meet with King Rodor and Princess Mithian to discuss how to reintegrate magic back into the kingdom now that that the ban had finally been lifted. Merlin had already been appointed Court Sorcerer, but with no one having a clear idea how to proceed and regulate the use of magic, Arthur had reached out to Nemeth - a kingdom where it had never been banned - and asked for their advice.

King Rodor has responded, and had directly invited Arthur to come and observe how Nemeth treated their magic users and how magic was handled. Arthur had eagerly accepted.

One of the last matters to settle before they left was who would run the kingdom in their stead - and apparently Gwen and Arthur had chosen Elyan.

“That’s something I’ve never done before, sire.”

“I’m aware. But I know you, Elyan. I have complete faith you’ll do a good job,” Arthur said, matter-of-factly, looking very calm as he told Elyan this. “We don’t leave for a month, so during that time I will make sure you learn everything you need to. It should be plenty of time for you to pick up how to run things, and for me to teach you whatever else I think you’ll need to know. Guinevere will be there to help too, and she will undoubtedly remember things that I forget to tell you.”

Elyan laughed. “No doubt she will.”

“Running the kingdom is a lot of work, Elyan. I think you’d be able to handle, Guinevere believes you’ll be able to handle it…but do you think you can?”

Elyan considered it. “…given enough guidance, yes, I think I so,” he responded honestly. “But if I’m being honest, I’m curious why you’re choosing me instead of Leon - he’s been Regent before; he knows more about it than I do.”

Arthur tipped his head in acknowledgment. “That is true - Leon would make an excellent choice as well. However, he will be joining Guinevere, Merlin, and I when we go to Nemeth.”

Elyan was surprised. “Really?”

“His sister lives there with her husband and children - and he would like to visit them while he has the chance.”

Elyan mouthed a silent ah in understanding.

Arthur then took in a breath. “Elyan…” he started. He fidgeted in his seat and leaned forward. “I… do have another reason for asking this of you.”

He paused, clearly trying to think how to say what he needed to.

“… yes, sire?” Elyan prompted.

“If…if something should happen to me _and,_ gods forbid, Guinevere…we don’t have any heirs.” He looked up to meet Elyan’s gaze. “As it stands, the person next in line for the throne is one of my distant cousins, whom as far as I am aware has never even set foot in Camelot. I am asking if you…would be willing to consider accepting the position of being second in line for the throne.”

Elyan could only stare at Arthur for a moment, still attempting to process what he heard. Being told he was to Regent was shocking enough, but being in line? For the throne? “A-Arthur, I -”

Arthur held up a hand. “I don’t expect an answer immediately, I only ask that you _consider_ accepting. It would be a lot of work to fall to you, yes, but _only_ if something were to happen to both Guinevere and I and we were to die before our child is of age or if we don’t have any heirs at all. We have already discussed this in great detail, and we both agree that…if something were to happen to us, Camelot would be safe in your care. And, on a more personal note…I would rather she be watched over by someone who’s lived here their whole life, and whom _I_ trust beyond any shadow of a doubt, than some distant relation whom I have no memory of ever even meeting. And as the queen’s brother…the people will know you as well, and I think they would take to the transition more easily than if the throne fell to -” he gestured vaguely in one direction - “Whichever cousin is next in line.”

Elyan nodded, taking this all in. “I’ll need time to think about it.”

Arthur nodded as well. “I understand. It’s a big decision. I don’t expect an answer anytime soon - I don’t expect one before we get back from Nemeth, if I’m perfectly honest. You have plenty of time before you decide. But, more immediately, are you up to the task of running the kingdom while we’re away?”

Elyan gave Arthur a nervous smile and nodded. “Yes, sire. I’ll do my best.”

Arthur smiled as well. “I expect nothing less.”

~

So it became that for the next month, Elyan was Arthur’s shadow - by his side in all council meetings, discussing with him afterward, and meeting with him in the evenings to learn the nuances that entails the paperwork of the kingdom.

Gwen was frequently there as well - often giving Elyan a reassuring and sympathetic smile when he became frustrated and exasperated at everything before him. “I had to learn all of this, too,” she empathized. “It helped that I already knew much of it from being Morgana’s maid, but it still shocked me when I finally realized exactly how much work went into this.”

Elyan looked up from the notes of that morning’s council meeting he was reading over to meet her eyes. “How did you learn all this?”

“Time. Patience. And a willingness to learn,” she said. “That’s probably the most important thing.”

“Well, I have plenty of _that,”_ Elyan said, turning to the paperwork once more. “It’s that middle thing I’m worried about.”

Gwen laughed, before giving Elyan’s shoulder a squeeze. “If you can manage being locked up with Gwaine for a week, then I have no doubt you can manage this.”

Elyan laughed too, before he sighed and grabbed the next piece of paper, reciting to Gwen what was to be done with it and what each written line meant - all things he needed to know.

He studied the lords and their provinces, the castle and what was in its vaults, how to remain calm when dealing with angry petitioners, and how to make sure everything was running smoothly. At night, his dreams were filled with what he had learned: numbers and figures floating in his mind, alongside Arthur and Gwen’s voices repeating everything he needed to know.

Then, before he knew it, it was the night before they were set to leave.

“I’m not sure how well I’m going to do,” Elyan said, taking a sip from his drink. “Arthur and Gwen say I’m ready…but I’m not sure I feel it.”

He was speaking to Percival. The two of them were in Elyan’s chambers after dusk, taking the chance to simply catch up before Elyan’s days became filled with running the kingdom and all that it entailed. 

Percival nodded and hummed in thought. He took a sip and swallowed before he asked, “Why are you so nervous?”

“Well, I suppose I’m afraid I’ll mess up somehow. That maybe I’ll do something wrong and they entire kingdom will fall while they’re gone.”

Percival smiled a bit. “I don’t think Camelot will fall after one mistake.”

Elyan laughed a bit at that. “I keep telling myself that, but I suppose I just can’t help but still be nervous.”

“Being nervous means you want to make sure you do it right. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to be.”

Elyan paused. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

Percival smiled. “Sometimes you just need a new perspective.”

Elyan smirked and raised an eyebrow at Percival. “A taller one?”

Percival chuckled. “Maybe. But sometimes I need a shorter one, too.”

Elyan laughed. “Well, I’ll make sure to give it to you when you need it.”

Percival smiled, before letting out a breath. They sat in silence for a moment - Percival having finished his drink, and Elyan still nursing his - before Percival spoke again. 

“For whatever it’s worth, I think you’ll do great.”

And though Arthur and Gwen had told him much the same thing, Elyan found himself believing it this time. “Thank you, Percival.”

Percival gave him a smile, before letting out a breath and standing. “Well, it’s late. I should be going. I’ll see you tomorrow, Elyan. Good night.”

“Sleep well,” Elyan murmured as Percival left and shut the door, leaving Elyan alone with the last of his drink and his thoughts as he stared into the fireplace and anticipated tomorrow.

~

The following morning, Elyan found himself in the courtyard alongside dozens of other people. Servants were running amok, making sure that the party would have everything they needed for their journey to and for the talks in Nemeth.

Percival was helping to load some last items into a cart alongside Leon, and Mordred was busy weaving a couple last enchantments of protection into a couple knights’ cloaks.

Merlin was already astride his black mare, chatting with Gwaine while he waited for Arthur to give the order to set out.

(Rumor had it that Merlin’s horse was part unicorn. Elyan wasn’t entirely certain if it was true, but sometimes he swore he saw the silver streak in her mane glistening in a way that wasn’t entirely normal).

“Right,” Elyan heard from behind himself, and he turned to see Arthur and Gwen walking down the stairs. Both of them were already dressed in their riding cloaks and clothes, and Arthur was pulling his gloves tight onto his hands. The two of them approached Elyan. “I believe that’s almost everything,” Arthur said. “There’s just one more thing we need to do.” 

Arthur held up a ring in his hand, and Elyan took in a short breath.

“This, officially, places you in charge,” Arthur said, holding out the ring to him. “It’s more a formality than anything, but it is part of the tradition for when a monarch leaves the kingdom in someone else’s care.”

Elyan stared at it for a moment, the weight of the moment finally setting upon him.

In only a few seconds, he would be in charge of all of Camelot.

But with a deep breath, he reached out and took the ring from Arthur’s fingers.

He half expected to feel a change - for maybe the air around him to shift, or for the very world to tilt under his feet - but nothing happened.

He slipped it onto his middle finger, before nodding to himself and looking back up to his king and queen with a nervous smile.

Gwen gave him a smile of her own - this one of reassurance - before she stepped forward and gave him a hug.

“You’ll do wonderfully,” she told him.

Elyan laughed - but it was more like a nervous hiccup. “With all due respect, Gwen, I’m not so certain of that.”

“We have complete faith in you,” Arthur said calmly and without any hesitation as Gwen stepped back. “And, if worse truly does come to worse, Mordred can contact Merlin and we can come home immediately.”

Elyan nodded, and he took in a short breath. “I know. I’ll do my best.”

Leon and Percival approached. “Everything is packed, sire,” Leon said. “Just need you to give the word.”

Arthur nodded. “Very good.” He waved over a stablehand, who brought his and Gwen’s horses over to them. Arthur helped Gwen mount hers, before he followed a moment later onto his own horse.

Arthur glanced around, silently counting off everything, before he nodded to himself in satisfaction. “I believe that’s almost everything - _Merlin!”_ he shouted, rounding on his horse to look at the man in question.

Merlin’s head jolted up - as did Gwaine’s - both blinking wide-eyed at Arthur.

“We’re setting out now, so tell Gwaine to finish telling you goodbye.”

Merlin huffed, before looking at Gwaine. “Well, you heard him.”

Gwaine chuckled. “That I did.” He patted Merlin’s thigh a couple times before stepping back. “Safe travels. Don’t have too much fun without me, now.”

Merlin scoffed in amusement, but he was smiling when he said, “Only if you promise to do the same.”

“You know I can promise no such thing.”

“Then I’m afraid I can’t either,” Merlin said simply, nudging his horse onwards until he was next to Arthur and Gwen. 

Arthur glanced around at the traveling party, then to Leon. “Are we ready?”

Leon nodded. “Yes, sire.”

Arthur nodded as well, before he turned forward and flicked his reins. “Then let’s head out.” As he turned his horse around, he looked down at the knights by him who were staying: Elyan, Percival, Mordred, and Gwaine. “I expect things to still be here when I’m gone,” he said, looking over the four of them with narrowed eyes, before settling his gaze on Gwaine. “Don’t burn the castle down.”

Gwaine looked to his compatriots. “It’s almost as if he doesn’t trust us.”

Percival just chuckled, before patting Gwaine’s shoulder. “I think it’s just _you_ he doesn’t trust.”

Gwaine sputtered in indignation, before playfully punching Percival in the arm.

But without another word, Arthur headed to the front, Gwen at his side, followed by Merlin and Leon and their guard. He waved a hand and the entourage began riding from the courtyard.

Just before passing through the gates, Gwen turned on her horse and waved at Elyan one last time, before she disappeared from sight.

Elyan stared after them for several moments, blinking as it hit him.

They were gone.

He was officially in charge.

For three whole weeks

So with a breath, Elyan turned to his fellow knights. All of them were looking at him in expectation.

“Right,” he said. He cleared his throat. “What needs doing first?”

~

The first few days of Elyan’s regency were relatively uneventful.

He didn’t hold any petitioners for those first days, making sure word had spread that the queen’s brother would be running things until the king and queen returned. There were no incidents during training, and the knights seemed to take to Elyan’s supervision well enough; many of them had gotten to know Elyan over the last several years, and trusted him to know what he was doing.

The first meeting of the Round Table could have gone better, but overall it hadn’t been too bad. The knights had much the same reaction as in training: adjusting to the change in stride, and accepting Elyan’s leadership quite easily.

The lords, however, were a different story.

While most were perfectly reasonable and handled the brief change well, there were others who…didn’t.

Lord Brendis had never attempted to hide his dislike of Arthur’s common born knights (Gwaine even taking extra time to make sure Brendis knew the feeling was mutual), and he certainly made no effort now. It was easy enough to ignore him (Elyan had been doing it for years now, after all) but his grating voice still got on Elyan’s nerves with each pointless protest.

Others, still, seemed to think that Elyan would be easier to sway than Arthur, and had clearly waited for the king to leave before presenting their ideas to him. Most weren’t too unreasonable, but others -

“Sir, if I may, I was hoping to discuss with you the possibility of a moat for my estate-?”

And even though it had only been a few days, Elyan could tell it was going to be a long three weeks.

~

“Well, you see, your maj- uh, _sir_ \- the chicken who laid the egg is mine -”

“But egg was laid on _my property.”_

Elyan sat upon the throne in the council chambers, watching as two petitioners from the lower town argued in front of him. One of them, Thom, held a chicken in the crook of an arm, and it was over this chicken they were currently arguing.

Apparently, Thom’s hen had somehow gotten into Derrick’s coop, and had then laid an egg there. Normally, this wouldn’t have been an issue: but then the egg had hatched. The chick that had hatched had grown, and was now old enough to begin laying eggs. 

But, neither could agree on who would owned the hatched chicken, and therefore who got any eggs that would be laid.

Thom believed it was his because he owned the hen that laid the first egg, while Derrick thought that it was his because the egg hatched on his land - neither could reach and agreement, and they had decided that the matter should be settled by none other than the king himself.

And, of course, since the king was absent, that meant it was Elyan who had to decide.

“But the chicken who _laid_ the egg was mine - therefore, any chickens who hatch from those eggs should be mine as well!”

“But the egg hatched on _my land -”_

The two of them weren’t even paying attention to Elyan anymore, simply arguing at each other with sharp words and sneers.

The chicken, conversely, appeared entirely unfazed, simply clucking idly every few moments. It eyed the floor curiously for a moment, before clucking once more.

For all the trouble it was causing, it seemed to be entirely unaffected.

Elyan glanced at Percival, who was standing at the side of the room and supervising the petitioners for the day.

Percival’s lips were pulled between his teeth, and he was shaking with suppressed laughter.

Elyan couldn’t help but smile to himself too - feeling much the same way - but then he cleared his throat and sat upright, schooling his face into something much more neutral.

“Wait, wait,” Elyan said loudly as he held up a hand. The men stopped arguing _(finally)_ and turned to him - blinking in a way that suggested they had forgotten he was even there. 

Elyan said, “Let’s…do this this way. How many chickens do you already own?”

Thom holding the chicken thought for a moment. “A dozen, sir.”

Elyan looked at the other one. “And you?”

“About the same, sir.”

“So as far as either of you know, you each own the same number of chickens.”

“Yes, sir.”

Elyan sighed. Well, there went one idea of giving the chicken to the man who had less. He thought for a moment, considering either side. While yes, Thom owned the chicken who laid the egg, he was neglectful in keeping it in his yard. But did Derrick deserve to get the egg simply because of where it was hatched?

Which was more important? The hen who laid it, or where it was hatched?

The chicken clucked.

The two men shuffled uncertainly, and they shared a glance before turning to Elyan once more.

With a sigh, Elyan looked at the two of them. He hated to do this, but: “I will need some time before I reach a decision.”

Thom and Derrick looked appalled. “But, sir!” Derrick exclaimed, “The chicken clearly belongs to me-!”

“No, it does not,” Elyan responded shortly. “As it stands, there is no clear answer for how to resolve this issue, so I ask that you return tomorrow, _with the chicken,_ and I shall give you my verdict then. You are dismissed.”

Thom and Derrick looked like they were about to protest.

But when they noticed Percival only raising an expectant eyebrow at them, they nodded, bowed just a bit, before turning and leaving the way they came.

Elyan heard the chicken cluck one last time before they were out of sight.

Elyan rubbed his temples with his fingers, before sitting up with a sharp breath. “Very well. Who is next?” He reached into the bowl of slips of paper to his right, dug around a bit, and pulled out the next name. He read it aloud, and there was shuffling near the back as the next petitioner made their way forward.

He spared a glance at the crowd waiting, and at the sun’s position through the window, before letting out a sigh.

It was going to be a _very_ long three weeks.

~

“Alright, let’s get this meeting started,” Elyan said, taking his seat at the Round Table only a scant half hour after he had listened to the petitioners. Four seats were empty to his left, along with others scattered about, but his immediate right was occupied by Percival, then Gwaine and Mordred to Percival’s other side. 

He motioned to one knight. “Sir Caradoc, your report please.”

Caradoc stood, and began to read off the report of his week long patrol to the northern border.

Though Elyan knew he should have been paying attention, his mind felt like it was filled with fog, and only a few words made it through.

“…Sir? Sir Elyan?”

Elyan jolted from his stupor, and straightened with a nod. “Yes, very good,” he said, realizing that he had missed almost all of Caradoc’s report. This wasn’t a good sign. But, he would have the chance to read it later, so Elyan simply told the next knight to go ahead with his report.

Once all reports were completed, it was time for the suggestions once more. Again the idea of a moat for an estate was brought up - and immediately shut down, Elyan re-emphasizing his same points that moving the water flow would be detrimental to all the farmers who relied on that water, and the entire kingdom by extension.

Lord Brendis defied Elyan, as always. No change there.

But, strangely, there was something new that Elyan managed to notice: Lord Kaidegan seemed eager to agree with anything Elyan suggested, even expressing his approval before Elyan finished saying what he said.

It, in all honesty, was suspicious, and even a little annoying.

But, not one to abandon an apparently ally, Elyan didn’t point out the behavior, and let the meeting run until all business had been taken care of for that day.

Satisfied, he gathered up his papers. “Meeting adjourned. You are dismissed.”

The sound of scraping chairs filled the room as knights and lords stood to leave. Elyan didn’t move, wanting a moment to breathe before he continued with his day.

Although it seemed Lord Kaidegan had other plans.

The lord waited for half a minute, before he stood and made a line straight for Elyan.

“Is there anything I can help you with? Sir?”

“No, I’m alright. Thank you,” Elyan said, not meaning to sound short but unable to hide his lack of desire to stay any longer than he needed to.

Kaidegan seemed slighted, and he stuttered for a couple moments.

His expression revealed an anger that Elyan didn’t expect from him.

But it was gone in a moment. Kaidegan swiftly bowed, before following the others from the room.

Now that it was just he and the other knights he was close with, Elyan leaned back into his chair with a sigh and closed his eyes, giving him just a moment to let his mind rest.

Was this how Arthur and Gwen felt all the time?

Percival leaned in and asked in a low whisper, “Are you alright?”

“Just,” Elyan rubbed at his eyes with a sigh, trying to soothe the headache lingering there. “Feeling a bit tired. That’s all.”

“I know what you need,” Gwaine’s voice suddenly said, and Elyan lurched forward as he felt Gwaine hug him from behind. “You need a break. You’ve been at this

constantly for several days - no one can blame you for needing some time off. Do you have anything else tonight?”

“…some paperwork, but that can wait until tomorrow,” Elyan said, already feeling a bit better at just the _idea_ of a break.

“Well, in that case, I know just the thing.”

“Oh, and what do you suggest?” Elyan said, turning his head to look at Gwaine.

Gwaine grinned. “The tavern, of course. Bit of fun, bit of drink. It’ll pick you right up.”

“Of course,” Elyan said with a small laugh. But then he met Percival’s eyes and his expression fell to thought. “Actually, not the tavern tonight. I just…I want to be somewhere quiet.”

Gwaine shrugged and straightened. “Fair enough. Mordred, Percival, you coming?”

Mordred looked surprised at being asked. “I…I suppose?”

Gwaine looked at Percival. “Perce?”

“I -” Percival started, looking at Elyan in an obvious look of concern.

Elyan waved a hand. “I’ll be fine. I just need a couple hours to myself.”

With that, he stood, and made his way through the doors.

Really, there was only one place he wanted to be to take his mind off of all of this.

He didn’t notice Percival watching him leave, a frown of concern on his face.

~

Percival found Elyan a few hours later in the forge.

He did go to the tavern with Gwaine and Mordred, but after only a couple hours of games, drink, and singing, called it a night, and decided to go see if he could find Elyan and make sure he was alright.

Elyan wasn’t in his room, or the library, so Percival headed back to the lower town to check the place he realized he should have checked first.

Smoke was billowing from the chimney - only barely visible in the growing dusk - and from inside the forge, Percival could hear the metallic sound of a hammer hitting metal.

The door was open to help ventilate, with a curtain covering the doorway to the work room.

A wave of heat greeted him as he pulled aside the curtain and looked in.

Sure enough, Elyan was there, standing next to an anvil with a hammer in one hand as he worked on a piece of relatively short, red-hot metal. Percival watched as Elyan rotated and struck the metal a couple times - each metallic clang ringing through the air - before he picked it up to examine it, humming in thought as he did so.

Percival stepped in.

Elyan heard the footsteps, and he turned. He smiled a bit upon seeing who it was, and Percival felt a bit of relief rush over him at seeing it.

It was the first time he’d seen Elyan smile in a days. 

“Hey, Percival,” Elyan greeted.

“Hey,” Percival said, coming over and standing by Elyan. “Does this count as _somewhere quiet?”_

Elyan laughed a bit. “I suppose not. But it’s just me, so,” he shrugged, “It hasn’t been too bad. What brings you here?”

“I just wanted to check on you. How are you doing?”

Elyan huffed. He wiped the sweat on his brow with the back of a hand. “I’m…adjusting. I think it’s just going to take a few days to get used to all of this. And coming here’s helped a lot - somewhere to take my mind off things for a bit.”

Percival nodded to himself, before glancing at the piece Elyan was working on. He tilted his head. “What are you making?”

Elyan lifted it up to show him, and Percival saw the shape of it: thin and conical, and about the length of a dinner plate. “It’s called a _rondel_. It’s a dagger designed to pierce through armor; I’d seen some in other kingdoms but I’ve never made one myself. I thought I’d try it.”

“…can I watch?”

Elyan was a bit surprised, but he nodded. “I’d be delighted.”

For some time, neither of them spoke - Elyan finishing up the last touches on the prototype rondel, and Percival only watching silently, taking in the way Elyan seemed to know exactly what to do to get the desired shape he wanted. He watched as Elyan quenched it, the sound of hissing oil and steam filing the room, before Elyan set it aside to cool until it was safe to handle. 

He gave Percival a tour of the work room of the forge while they waited - the kiln, the tools. Percival just following and taking in the passion in Elyan’s voice as he explained everything.

There was a second doorway in the back, but Elyan didn’t lead Percival to it, and Percival decided not to pry.

But after some time, Elyan went back to the rondel, quickly patted it with his fingers, before nodding in satisfaction and picking it up. 

Then his brow furled as he bounced it in his hands. “It…doesn’t seem quite right.”

“In what way?”

“The balance feels off,” Elyan said, taking a step towards the second doorway. Then he stopped. He looked at Percival. “You’ve never been back here, have you, Percival?” 

Percival cocked his head, before he stood from his stool. “I don’t think I have.”

Elyan grinned. He waved Percival into the very back room of the forge. “Oh, you’re going to love it.”

He held aside a second curtain, and gestured Percival into the very back.

Sure enough, it was a room Percival had never been in. Various weapons that Percival didn’t recognize were hanging on one wall, and in the middle was a training dummy wearing an old beat up chest plate. 

“This is where I test my inventions,” Elyan said, gesturing to the amalgamation of weapons hanging on the wall. “Some of them work, others…don’t.”

Percival chuckled “That just means you haven’t figured it out yet.”

Elyan laughed. “I suppose that’s one way to think of it,” he said. He shed his apron and hung it by the door, before spinning the rondel in his hand as he approached the dummy.

He circled the dummy, testing his stance, and then once he felt good he moved forward and thrust the rondel into the dummy’s “shoulder.”

It hadn’t been sharpened, so it didn’t go through the armor like it was meant for, but the strike looked strong to Percival.

But Elyan huffed in dissatisfaction. “It _works,_ but it doesn’t feel right.”

“May I try?”

“Be my guest,” Elyan said, handing over the weapon.

Percival tested the balance, and held it in his hands a couple different ways. Sure enough, he could feel what Elyan meant: that something about it just felt _off._ That something about it didn’t quite match the daggers he had wielded before during training. He readied his stance as he had seen Elyan do, and took a couple test swings at the dummy.

“I agree,” he said, handing it back. “But it’s your first attempt - it doesn’t have to be perfect.”

“You’re right there,” Elyan said. “I’ll just need to figure out what I did wrong when I make the next one.”

But with a sigh, Elyan then glanced through the window and noted the night sky. “But, I do believe that is a problem I’ll have to solve later. It’s late - I should head back up to the castle.”

Percival hated the way Elyan seemed to deflate at the idea of going back, but he didn’t comment on it. Only putting a hand to Elyan’s shoulder in a way he hoped was comforting.

~

Elyan quietly closed up the forge, Percival offering to help where he could, and once the door was locked, the two of them began to head back up to the castle.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Percival spoke.

“…what do you plan to do?”

Elyan glanced at Percival, brow furled. “About what?”

“About the chicken.”

Elyan’s heart dropped. _Oh._ He had almost forgotten about that. He let out a forceful sigh. “I don’t know, Percy,” he said. “I feel they both have a point. Maybe if the hen had laid two eggs that hatched I would say that each of them get one. But, there’s only the one chicken. And they’ve decided _I_ have to decide who gets it.”

Percival nodded. “I can’t see an easy solution either.”

Elyan sighed again. “Maybe if I weren’t so tired I could think of one…but I just feel drained. Is this how Gwen and Arthur feel all the time?”

Percival was quiet for a moment. “…I don’t think so,” he said. “They usually split the duties evenly - you’re running it all yourself.”

Elyan considered this. “That is true,” he said. “They usually alternate days on who listens to the petitioners, don’t they?”

Percival nodded. “You’ve had days of doing it without a break. Not to mention you’re running everything.”

“You think I should relegate some tasks to other people.”

Percival nodded. “Not everything,” he said. “But at least something. I’m sure Arthur and Gwen will understand.”

Elyan nodded. “I wouldn’t be surprised that they forgot this is a lot for a single person to take on.”

“Is there anything you think someone else could do?”

Elyan thought for a moment. “Training,” he answered. “I think Gwaine would be good at running it.”

Percival nodded. “I think that sounds like a good idea. Do you want to do that?”

“I think I do, yeah.”

“I’ll let Gwaine know,” Percival said. “I’m sure he’ll be up to the task - he might even enjoy it.”

Elyan laughed a bit. “We’ll have to wait and see. Although I’d love to see how his training methods will effect the squires who come after him…”

Elyan stopped.

Percival didn’t notice for a moment and had continued walking, before he paused and turned back. “Elyan?”

“…maybe I shouldn’t be focusing on _this_ chicken, but the chickens that come after,” he said. He looked up at Percival. “Whatever I decide now will have precedence for cases like this in the future. As far as I know there’s never been a case like this…so maybe I’ll need to think about what it means if it happens again - and how to prevent it.”

Percival looked confused, but he didn’t interrupt.

Elyan chewed his lip in thought, before he smiled to himself and nodded. He looked up at Percival with a smile. “I’ll need to sleep on it, but I think I have a solution.”

Percival smiled. “That’s good to hear.”

Percival accompanied Elyan the rest of the way to Elyan’s room. Their way was filled with light conversation, passing under torches and the stars without any more concern about chickens or lords. Elyan found himself laughing, and Percival doing the same in kind.

But, soon enough, they reached Elyan’s room.

And Elyan realized he felt much better than he had that entire day.

“Thank you, Percival,” Elyan said. “You’ve taken a load off my mind.”

Percival smiled. “Glad I could help,” he said. He put his hand to Elyan’s shoulder and met his eyes with absolute sincerity. “If there’s anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I’m here, whatever you need.”

“That means a lot,” Elyan said with a smile of his own. “I’ll keep it in mind. Thank you.”

Percival’s smile widened, his hand still on Elyan’s shoulder.

His touched lingered a bit, but then after a last squeeze he took his hand back. Percival quietly murmured a good night, before heading down the hallway to retire to his own chambers.

And as Elyan watched him go, he didn’t realize he was still rubbing his shoulder where Percival had held it.

~

Derrick and Thom were waiting right outside the door when Elyan opened the castle to listen to the petitioners the next day - and thankfully the chicken was in Thom’s arms.

Elyan summoned them to the front first thing. He looked them over for a moment. “Did you two perhaps reach a solution on your own?”

“No, sir,” Derrick said, crossing his arms and glaring at Thom.

Elyan sighed. But then he nodded to himself and sat up. “I believe I have a solution.” He turned to Thom, who still who held the chicken. “I do agree that since your hen laid it, the egg should belong to you.”

Thom turned to Derrick, a smug look on his face. He opened his mouth to retort something.

Elyan beat him to it. _“However,”_ he said firmly, and they turned to him in surprise, “If any more of your chickens cross into this other man’s property and lay eggs there, those eggs and any chickens that hatch from them will belong to him. The same applies to you,” he added, turning to Derrick. “If any of your chickens lay eggs in his land, then they belong to him. As long as both your chickens stay in your own land, then all is well. From this moment on, you must make sure your chickens stay in your own property. Am I understood?”

Derrick and Thom blinked at Elyan, before they both nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Elyan sighed. He smiled just a bit. “Good,” he said. “I hope that from now on, you’ll know for certain who owns what chicken.”

And with that, Thom bowed with a smug grin and left. Derrick looked angry, but he let out a resigned sigh before bowing himself and following suit. 

Now that he didn’t have to worry about that blasted chicken, Elyan turned to the bowl of names and shuffled around to find the next one.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Percival giving him a proud smile. When they made eye contact, Percival made a gesture of approval with his hand. 

Elyan felt a sudden rush of warmth inside, and he gave Percival a smile and a nod, before looking at the name he had drawn and calling it out.

The warm feeling and the look of Percival’s smile stayed with him for the rest of the day.

~

Elyan needed a place to hide.

Those were his exact thoughts as he rushed through the castle, being relentlessly pursued by the lord who still (still!) insisted that rerouting a river for a moat would be an excellent decision.

“But, sir, I’m sure if you’d just _listen -”_

“And I have already told you: rerouting a river to put a moat around your estate will only harm the kingdom.”

“I respectfully disagree,” the lord said, and Elyan had to bite back a groan. “I say that if you gave my estate a moat -”

Elyan turned a corner, his steps rushing faster - but not _quite_ running yet - and distancing himself from the lord.

With perfect timing, a servant rounded emerged from a hallway with a cart in front of her, cutting the lord off from Elyan.

Elyan ducked down another, and knew he would be out of sight only for a few precious seconds. He glanced around. 

There.

A door - barely used, and tucked away somewhere barely noticeable.

Elyan darted to it. The knob turned under his hand, and Elyan bit back a shout of delight as he yanked the door open and bolted inside.

He closed the door behind himself, heart racing more than the situation probably warranted.

“Elyan?”

Elyan glanced into the dark room, and saw _Percival_ slowly standing from his seat at a table that had been inside.

Elyan quickly put his finger to his lips in a shush, before pointedly looking at the door.

From outside, they heard the lord: “Sir Elyan, I simply wish - sir? Sir Elyan?”

The footsteps paused, and Elyan didn’t move.

Percival came over and stood by him, looking confused but still silent.

But then the the footsteps faded outside, and after several moments, Elyan sighed in relief.

“… What was that about?” Percival asked.

“Oh, he wants me to approve his petition to reroute part of a river so he can have a moat around his estate. I’ve already told him no, but he seems to think he can convince me otherwise.”

Then Elyan realized something.

He glanced around the room: dark and dusty, and clearly not have been used for anything in some time.

He looked at Percival in absolute confusion.

“What are _you_ doing in here?”

Percival blinked, and even in the dusty light Elyan saw his cheeks color just a bit. Percival turned and gestured to a table, and Elyan

could see some stacks of paper on it. “Drawing,” he answered meekly.

Elyan couldn’t hide his surprise. “You were drawing?”

Percival shrugged, still clearly feeling a bit awkward. “No one ever comes in here, so I started to use it when I wanted to draw.”

Elyan blinked again, before he took a couple steps to the table. He looked at Percival before grabbing any of the papers. “May I see?”  
Percival gestured in permission.

Elyan picked up one drawing. It was of the room they were in, the charcoal smudged to show the light as it traveled into the room through the windows above, and showing the patterns of cracked glass on the stone floor.

“This is beautiful,” Elyan breathed, awed.

“It’s nothing -”

“No, I mean it,” Elyan said. “I…I didn’t know you could draw. It looks wonderful.”

Percival smiled shyly at that. “…thank you,” he said. He came over to the table and moved aside some of the drawings on top, revealing more underneath - each as wonderful looking as the first. Percival picked up the pencil he had been using. “Back where I grew up…after long days in the fields, I would grab a stick, and I would use the ashes from the fireplace to draw.” Percival smiled as he rolled the pencil in his fingers, clearly lost in the memories. “My mother said that I should go to the city one day; get a job transcribing books and copying the drawings in them. That I would be really good at it.” Then Percival’s smile faltered, and he sighed. “…after they were all slaughtered…I forgot how to do it for a while. I would pick up a stick and…I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I would try but…nothing would happen. Or _something_ would, but I would hate it and burn it.

“After Arthur knighted me…it took a while, but I picked up a piece of charcoal and tried again. And I actually drew something” He laughed. “It looked horrible…but being able to do it again…I liked it. But it’s only recently I’ve been able to draw things I like again.”

They fell into a silence then, Percival looking down at his art, and Elyan only watching Percival’s face.

Then Percival realized something, and he looked up at Elyan as if surprised.

“…I’ve never told anyone that,” he said. “I suppose…I was nervous about letting people know again. I don’t know why.”

Elyan smiled softly and kindly. “Well I think your drawings look wonderful. And I…I’m glad you told me.”

Percival smiled too, far off and wistful. “It feels good to tell someone.”

Elyan smiled. Then he looked over the drawings once more, still awed by everything that they had. 

But then Elyan remembered something, and he sighed. He set down the drawing. “I’d better go. I may have avoided talking about the moat again today, but I need to get to the training field to supervise Gwaine’s training session.”

Percival nodded. “I’ll be out there in a bit. I just need to clean this up.”

Elyan gave him a small smile, before he turned.

But when his hand was on the handle, he paused just before opening the door.

“You know, Percival, working in the forge, there aren’t a lot of people there, and I do have plenty of charcoal lying around,” he said. “You’re free to come by and start doing your works there, if you’d like. And you could leave them there, too - you wouldn’t have to gather them up and take them back to your room.”

Percival looked surprised. “Really?”

“I wouldn’t mind the company - so long as you don’t mind the noise or the heat.”

Percival blinked.

Then he grinned. “I’d love that.”

Elyan returned the grin. “I’ll clear a desk for you,” he said. “Give you someplace of your very own to store your supplies.” And with that, Elyan turned the handle and entered the hallway once more, leaving Percival staring after him with a odd feeling in his chest.

~

Over the next few days, Elyan fell into a rhythm, and found that he was taking on the task of ruling the kingdom much more easily than those first few days. 

Undoubtedly, there were the lords who kept trying to get him to approve their ideas, and others still who had never been fond of Arthur’s _common born_ knights and made no effort to disguise those feelings even now that Elyan was their Regent.

But he began to find his footing, and with Gwaine supervising the training so he didn’t have to worry about that, he found he was able to handle things without it taking as much as a toll on him.

Percival began frequenting the forge, often sketching and drawing both while Elyan worked and while he was out. And even if they weren’t at the forge, Elyan found himself going to Percival’s room whenever he had a break in the evenings, just for a chance to talk and be somewhere where he wouldn’t have to worry about the court for a while.

And when Elyan walked into the forge one day and found Percival’s supplies scattered on his desk and his drawings tacked to the wall above, he couldn’t help but feel like it he had finally found a piece of the forge that had been missing, all without him realizing.

~

Of course, with things going well, that meant something had to go wrong.

Elyan was calmly eating his lunch in his chambers, reading over reports, when he suddenly heard heavy footfalls from outside his door.

His head snapped up, confused, doubly so when the door opened without knocking to reveal an out of breath Percival.

The warning bells weren’t ringing. What was going on to warrant him running here?

“Percival? Is everything alright?”

Percival took in a couple deep breaths, then he sighed in exasperation.

“…Derrick stole the chicken.”

~

Mordred filled Elyan in on what happened as Elyan headed down to the dungeons to speak with Derrick.

After Elyan had made the ruling that the chicken was Thom’s, they had both gone home. For the next few days, both of them had been diligent about keeping their chickens in their own pens, and, while not overly kind to the other, had done nothing to cause conflict.

That is, until Derrick snuck into Thom’s coop last night, and stole the contentious chicken right from inside. Thom noticed the bird was missing the next morning, and then spotted an identical one inside of Derrick’s house.

Thom, of course, had fetched the guards over the stolen property, and Derrick had been arrested.

So now Derrick was in Camelot’s dungeons, and the chicken was being held in Percival’s room until further notice.

(Percival, apparently, volunteering to keep an eye on it until things were settled.)

The guards easily let Elyan through, Mordred with him, but when they reached the cell holding Derrick, Mordred quietly stood to the side without saying a word.

Derrick stood up. He briefly met Elyan’s gaze before ducking his own. “…sir,” he said quietly.

Elyan stared at him, before he sighed. “Why did you steal the chicken? I thought we had resolved the issue.”

“I heard Thom bragging, sir,” Derrick answered, still staring at his feet. “He said he was purposefully letting the hen onto my land so it could eat my feed.”

Elyan glanced at Mordred for confirmation, and Mordred nodded. 

Derrick was telling the truth.

Elyan blinked, before he turned back to the man. “Why didn’t you bring this up when you came to me before?”

“I heard it yesterday, sir. I didn’t know before.”

“…I see,” he said. “He wanted to use your resources to raise his chickens.”

Derrick only nodded.

“Do you know anyone else who overheard this?”

“The neighbor he was bragging too - Marge, sir. But I don’t know who else.”

Elyan was silent for a moment. “I’ll see if Marge will be willing to talk to me. This information won’t go unheard, I assure you.”

Derrick nodded. He nervously lifted his gaze. “What will happen to me, sir?”

Elyan stared at him, before he sighed. “…well you stole the chicken, but given this new information, I can’t say that it belongs to Thom either. I’ll give you a trial later today, and depending on what else I can find, Thom may get one too for using your resources without your permission.”

Derrick nodded. He swallowed a bit. “Thank you, sir.”

Elyan sighed. “Get some rest, Derrick. I’ll speak with you more later.”

And with that, Elyan turned and began to head out of the dungeons.

Mordred silently followed until they were out of the dungeons. But as soon as they had reached the main castle, Mordred said, “He was telling the truth; or at the very least he believes he heard it.”

Elyan nodded. “This does change things a bit.”

“Would you like me to go speak with Marge?”

“Yes. Ask her if Thom told her what Derrick claims he did.”

Mordred nodded in understanding. “I’ll come straight to you as soon as I get back,” he said, before turning down one hallway and setting off to do just that.

Elyan made his way to Percival’s room, both wanting to see him and to check to see if he really had the chicken with him.  
He knocked briefly, before opening the door.

Sure enough, Percival was there, and he had the chicken on his table. The chicken seemed to be asleep, head dropped and eyes closed, and Percival was taking the moment to sketch it out on a piece of parchment with charcoal.

He turned at the door and smiled a bit. “Elyan,” he greeted quietly, as to not disturb the chicken. “How’d it go?”

Elyan took a seat at the table with a huff. He told Percival about what they learned: about Derrick overhearing Thom’s bragging, and how Mordred was now heading to the lower town to find this neighbor and ask for her side of the story, and that he should be back any minute.

Percival considered this. “If it’s true, it does change things.”

“It’s what Derrick believes he heard, but we need to make sure first - be certain that that’s what happened and it’s not simply Derrick misinterpreting something else.”

“What’ll you do if it is true?”

“…then Thom will need to be put on trial for theft - and for lying to the court, since he said that he didn’t know how his hen got into Derrick’s pen in the first place.”

There was a knock at the door, and Mordred walked in. “I talked to Marge. Derrick was right - Thom told her he’d been letting his chickens into Derrick’s yard. She didn’t know for how long, but she was telling the truth that he said it. And apparently,” Mordred continued, “Marge’s wife says that she had seen Thom dropping a couple chickens into Derrick’s yard when he believed no one was looking.”

Elyan blinked, before looked at Percival with a look of complete askance. “How deep does this chicken conspiracy go?!”

Percival only gave him a sympathetic smile.

Elyan sighed while rubbing his hands over his face. “…Mordred, bring Thom in for stealing Derrick’s resources. I’ll hold the trial for both of them today at the fourth bell.”

Mordred nodded, and turned to the door so he could do just that.

Elyan lowered his hands with a sigh, before looking at the still sleeping chicken on Percival’s desk. “This is chicken is more trouble than its worth,” he said.

Percival chuckled just a bit.

“…and where am I going to keep her during the trial?”

“I can keep watching her,” Percival said, gently stroking the chicken’s wing with a finger. “My family used to have chickens: I don’t mind taking care of them.”

Elyan smiled, and he put his hand to Percival’s arm as he stood. “Thank you. I’ll make sure Gwaine knows you won’t be at training.”  
Percival nodded and quirked his lip in a thanks, before turning back to his drawing and the chicken once more.

Elyan paused at the doorway just before leaving, and opened his mouth to say something more to Percival, but then he sighed and went out.

He had a trial to prepare for, after all.

~

At the fourth bell, Elyan found himself once more in the council room upon the throne. Several onlookers had arrived - many just looking for entertainment for the day, and deciding this trial over a chicken was the best way to find it - and they were all standing to the sides and talking amongst themselves.

Mordred stood to the side, ready to oversee and let Elyan know if anyone was lying.

But the doors opened, and in walked a handful of guards, Derrick and Thom between them.

Derrick seemed resigned to whatever was about to happen, and Thom looked angry.

“What is the meaning of this? _Stealing Derrick’s resources?_ You said the chicken belongs to me! How can I steal the chicken if it’s mine?”

“This isn’t over the chicken,” Elyan said. “This is about _before_ the chicken. I have been informed that you were bragging about how you were intentionally letting your chickens into Derrick’s pen to eat.”

Thom’s face suddenly fell and became several shades paler - even slightly green.

“Is this true?”

“I - uh - I, _sir,_ I -” Thom stopped. He glanced at Mordred, before sighing. “Yes, it is, sir.”

Elyan huffed. “I do understand the qualm about the chicken being yours because the hen laid it, but to let your hen into Derrick’s pen to use his resources is a crime in of itself. But, I have reached a decision.

“Taking into account most of the day, you, Derrick, will spend one night in the dungeons for the theft of the chicken, but no more. And Thom, you shall spend three, for stealing Derrick’s feed and resources without his permission, and for lying to the court about how the hen got into Derrick’s coop in the first place.”

Thom nodded, deflating and curling in on himself.

Derrick looked to Elyan. “What of the chicken, sir?”

“The chicken will be added to the castle’s coop,” Elyan said. “And will provide eggs to the community food store.”

Thom and Derrick both looked shocked.

 _“But_ you both will be given half a fair price for it,” Elyan said. “Not full price - I won’t pay twice for a chicken that causes this much trouble - but I am reticent to return it to either of you based on all that has happened. However, you will still be free to use the community food as you have been. And after your sentences have been served, I want no more trouble from either of you. Am I understood?”

With quiet _“Yes, sirs”_ from both of them, they were both approached by guards, before being escorted from the room and to the dungeons.

The onlookers began to file out then - the exciting bit was over now, after all - and Elyan waited for a moment before he looked to the side.

“Does that seem fair?” he asked Mordred.

Mordred considered it. “…I believe so. Thom is now facing consequences for what he was doing, but…it was just a chicken.”

Elyan laughed. Then he huffed. “Speaking of,” he said, standing. “I’d better go relinquish Percival of his chicken-watching duties, and let him know what I’ve decided.”

~

A few minutes later found Elyan and Percival walking through the hallways, the chicken in Percival’s arms as the two (three, including the chicken) of them headed to the castle gardens to add the chicken to the castle’s coop.

“If I have to hear any more debates over chickens, I think I will lose my mind.”

Percival laughed at that. “I’m sorry it’s taken so much of your time.”

Elyan huffed. “Well, what can you do. It’s the king’s job to settle disputes, and it’s my job to do the king’s job while he’s away. I just wonder how Arthur would have taken all of this.”

“He might have just eaten the chicken.”

Elyan sputtered and laughed. “I’m not sure about that! But it would have been the easiest solution.” He turned and looked at the chicken. “Though I don’t think we have any plans to eat this one - she’s apparently been good for eggs.”

Percival smiled. “I think Cleo will appreciate that.”

Elyan stopped. He looked up at Percival. “You named it?”

Percival blinked. He shrugged. “She looks regal. And I think Cleo is a good name for a hen.”

Cleo clucked then, as if agreeing.

They reached the coop in the back, and Audrey was inside, a basketful of eggs in one arm. She turned upon hearing Percival and Elyan approach, and smiled. “Ah, is this the new one? I heard about that just now.”

“Yes,” Elyan said. “Percival’s named her Cleo.”

“Well hello, Cleo. You’re a lovely little thing, aren’t you?” Audrey said, idly petting Cleo’s head. But then she nodded in satisfaction and stepped to the side. “She’ll be right at home in here - go ahead and set her down now.”

Percival did, bending down and gently setting Cleo inside the coop.

They watched as Cleo eyed her new surroundings, before taking several steps forward. She looked at the ground, and, after cocking her head, began to peck.

Percival and Elyan followed Audrey from the coop. She left to go deliver the eggs to the kitchen, while Percival and Elyan took a moment to linger behind. 

Percival watched Cleo silently as she wandered around her new home and examined her new fellows.

Elyan, however, couldn’t take his eyes from Percival, noting the soft smile that graced his face, and the way he looked just happy over something as simple as watching a chicken.

The urge to step closer, to take Percival’s hand in his own.

To press his lips to that smile -

But then Percival turned and noted where Elyan’s gaze was. His brow furled in concern. “Elyan? Everything alright?”

Elyan gave his head a quick shake, before smiling. “Just tired. Trials are exhausting.”

“I’m not surprised.”

Elyan let out a quick breath, before turning. “I probably should head inside. I still have a lot more to do. I’ll see you later, Percy.”

He began to head to the doors and inside, and glanced back just once to see Percival still watching him go.

~

One night, a couple days later, found them in a silence in Elyan’s room.

Elyan was sitting on his bed, taking his short respite as a chance to read.

But he wasn’t alone, for Percival was at his table, once more with a pencil in hand and sketching out what was on his mind.

Elyan didn’t notice Percival’s gaze flicking to him, tracing the curve of his mouth, the angle of his jaw, or how Percival stopped drawing for a minute to just sit and take in Elyan.

But after some time, Percival glanced up again, and had to stop.

Elyan’s book was on his lap, and his head was dropped back onto the pillow with his mouth ajar and his eyes closed.

Elyan had fallen asleep.

Percival blinked, before he smiled softly at that; Elyan had been exhausted for the last couple weeks after all - he was glad to see him finally getting some rest. He silently packed up his supplies and set them into his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He then crossed the room, took the book from Elyan’s chest and set it to the side table, before taking the blankets and tucking them over Elyan.

He stopped for a moment, lip between his teeth. 

It would have been easy to simply bend down and press a kiss to his forehead - and he found he wanted to do it more than anything else in that moment.   
But then he simply let out a low breath and smiled softly.

“Good night, Elyan. Sleep well,” Percival whispered, before he left the room and shut the door behind himself.

And Elyan found he slept better that night than he had in days.

~

“Ah, Elyan!” Audrey greeted when Elyan walked into the kitchens the next day, during a time when he knew Percival would be busy at training and would be nowhere near the kitches. “You haven’t been down here for a while. What brings you down here, love?”

“Hello, Audrey,” Elyan greeted, and he couldn’t quite keep his cheeks from warming. He hoped Audrey couldn’t tell. “I was…hoping you could help me with something. For Percival.”

~

When Percival returned to his room that night, he found an unexpected surprise waiting for him. 

Elyan was already there, and he was walking around the table, making adjustments to the dinnerware that he had already set up.

Percival blinked, then a small, surprised smile came to his face. “What’s this?” he asked.

Elyan’s head jolted - clearly having not heard Percival arrive - and he blinked in surprise. But then he smiled meekly. “I…brought you dinner.”

“I can see that,” Percival said with a laugh. He stepped inside and shut his door. “But I’m wondering why.”

“I wanted to say thank you,” Elyan said, “For…helping me during these last couple weeks. I know I haven’t exactly been…myself -”

“You’ve been stressed, I understand.”

Elyan gave him a small wry smile. “I appreciate that, really, but I’ve been taking a lot of your time…so I…brought this. To say thank you.”

Percival stepped over and looked at the spread, before stopping in surprise as he took in the selection before him.

“Audrey told me it’s your favorite - she helped me make it.”

Percival looked at Elyan, still with that surprised look. “You made it?”

Elyan laughed. “Well, I _tried_ to - Audrey did most of it. But I was there and helped where I could.”

Elyan pulled out a chair for Percival and gestured for him to take a seat. Percival did with a laugh. Elyan took his own seat, and lifted his glass.

Percival lifted his own and clinked them together, unable to keep a smile from his face.

Dinner passed wonderfully, Percival heartily enjoying his favorite meal, and the two of them laughing and talking while they ate. 

Soon enough, everything that had been brought had been eaten (a single knight of Camelot had quite the appetite, let alone two), and Elyan shifted in his seat.

“I-I have something else for you, too, Percival,” Elyan said, grabbing a long, thin box he had tucked under his chair, and sliding it on the table towards Percival.

Percival took it and opened the box.

He stopped in surprise.

“You finished it,” he said with a smile, picking up the completed and polished rondel from the box.

“I did,” Elyan said with a laugh. “That’s the _fourth_ attempt. I finally got it right.”

Percival’s smile widened. He took the hilt and hand, and did a couple test strikes from his place in the chair. “It feels wonderful,” he said. “You did a great job.”

Elyan smiled from the praise, his heart growing full.

Then Percival was the one who stopped. His expression grew considering, before he cleared his throat and stood, and set the rondel on the table. “I…I suppose now seems like a good time for this,” he said, going to his armoire. Elyan watched as he pulled out a piece of paper from inside, before coming over to Elyan’s side. He knelt down onto his knees so he was move level with him. “I’d hoped to wait a couple days - it’s not finished yet - but…I hope you’ll like it.”

He handed over the drawing.

Elyan stopped in surprise.

It was a portrait of himself in charcoal, done with so much care and love that Elyan could only guess Percival had spent hours over it, making sure to just get each detail right. The way the light hit his skin, the tight curls of his hair. Each detail painstakingly done to get it all right. Yes, he could see where Percival hadn’t quite finished the detail work on the collar to Elyan’s shirt, but, if anything, he thought it added to the drawing.

It was _breathtaking._

“When did you do this?” he breathed.

“The other night, while you were reading,” Percival said, his cheeks once more coloring and his gaze averted. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“It’s beautiful,” Elyan said, still in disbelief. He looked up to meet Percival’s gaze. “Thank you.”

Percival smiled - but it was tinged with nervousness and seemed to hesitate. “I want you to know how much I care about you.”

Elyan’s breath caught then, and he realized how close they were - how he could just feel Percival’s breath ghosting over his face.

He swallowed and set the drawing on the table. He said, breathless, “Percival?”

Percival’s voice was just as breathy when he asked, “Yeah?”

Elyan took in a shaking breath. “I really want to kiss you right now.”

For a moment, Percival did nothing.

Then his hands were on Elyan’s cheeks, and he pulled Elyan in for a kiss.

Elyan couldn’t stop the small gasp of surprise, but then his hands were gripping the front of Percival’s shirt as he pulled him closer, and kissed back no less fervently.

For several moments they lost themselves to it, kissing each other with the passion of wanting to do it for days and only finally having the chance.

They separated with a gasp, and Elyan leaned forward to rest his forehead against Percival’s, both of them taking in deep breaths. 

Elyan asked, still breathless, “What are you thinking right now?”

Percival swallowed. “…that my bed is right there, and I want us to be in it.”

The thought - and not to mention the forwardness - caused Elyan’s own cheeks to rapidly warm.

But without a word, Elyan took Percival’s hand a stood, before taking a step towards the bed.

“Well, since it’s right there, we’d better put it to good use then, shouldn’t we?” Elyan said, guiding Percival backward with a grin.

Percival’s cheeks reddened, but his grip tightened on Elyan’s hand, and he followed him to the bed.

The sound of their laughter and voices filled Percival’s room until long into the night.

~

Elyan woke up feeling lighter than he had in weeks.

Thin rays of morning sunlight were coming through Percival’s window when he opened his eyes, and he could only just see them over Percival’s bare shoulder, with his own chest pressed to Percival’s back and his arm across Percival’s stomach to hold him close.

For a moment, Elyan didn’t move, just taking in everything he could: Percival’s warm skin against his, the feeling of his chest moving in and out with each slow breath, his legs tangled with Percival’s beneath the blankets.

He would have been content to lay there like that all day.

Elyan lifted his head and placed a kiss to Percival’s shoulder, followed by another one.

Percival stirred a bit, before he settled with a soft groan.

Then he chuckled lightly. “I take it you’re awake?” he asked quietly.

Elyan pressed his smile to Percival’s shoulder. “That I am.”

He pressed another kiss there, and was tempted to do another, but Percival rolled over so he was on his back and looking up at Elyan. 

Elyan smiled down at him. “Morning.”

Percival smiled too. “Good morning. Sleep well?”

Elyan let out a contented sigh and lowered his head back to the pillow. “This is the most relaxed I’ve been since Gwen and Arthur left.”  
Percival chuckled. “I’m glad,” he said. He pushed himself up on one elbow and shifted closer, before bending down and kissing the corner of Elyan’s mouth. Elyan turned his head to meet him, lips brushing for a moment, before Percival shifted and kissed Elyan’s cheek.

Elyan’s eyes fluttered shut, smiling softly as Percival gently traced his face in gentle kisses. His brow, his cheekbone, his hair.  
Percival placed one more kiss to Elyan’s cheek. “I’ll go get us some breakfast,” he whispered there, before swinging his legs out from under the covers and standing.

Elyan didn’t move all that much as Percival dressed, just watching in a contented haze, before he left to go grab food. He stayed put for several moments more, before falling back onto the bed with a laugh, and his hands over his face, as if he were unable to contain the smile across it.

Percival did return later with food, and they sat at his table and ate - shoulders touching, and Elyan often putting his head on Percival’s shoulder.

But, as much as they would have liked to prolong the lazy morning, they both had things to do.

“I’ll see you at the council meeting,” Elyan said, lingering at Percival’s door before he headed off for his own day.

Percival smiled, and bent down to kiss him. “I look forward to it.”

~

When Elyan did walk into the council room to begin the meeting for that day, his steps were lighter than they had been for the last couple weeks, and his shoulders were finally back up to their normal place and no longer weighed down by exhaustion.

(Gwaine looked confused, and looked over Elyan as if he was trying to find out where a piece went in a half-completed puzzle. He then glanced at Percival to see if Percival had noticed too, only to see the exact same glowing look on Percival’s face.

Gwaine’s eyebrows shot up in realization. And his eyes rapidly jumped between the two of them for several moments. He smirked to himself, before pulling his lips between his teeth to hide it and schooling his face into something more neutral as he turned his attention to Elyan once more. 

But inside he was grinning like a madman.

Merlin would love to hear about this when he got back.)

The meeting started as always: reports about happenings in the kingdom. New reports of bandits were appearing in the western forest, but it was a small brigade and easily dealt with by only a handful of knights.

But of course, when Elyan began to designate knights to go deal with it, he was met with a single voice objecting to what should have been a straightforward assignment.

“Sir,” Lord Brendis began, his voice drawling and full of condescension. “If I may -”

And after dealing with this for his entire regency, and finally feeling more like himself before he was regent, Elyan decided he had finally had enough.

“Lord Brendis,” Elyan started, interrupting him. “You have done nothing but defy me for the last two weeks just for the sake of being contrary. Unless you have a legitimate complaint, I ask that you stop needlessly interrupting these meetings. We could get a lot more done that way. And if you have a valid reason for speaking up, then I will be more than happy to hear it. Am I understood?”

Lord Brendis didn’t move, but his fist was clenched tight on the table. “Yes, sir.”

“Now,” Elyan said, “Do you have a different suggestion as to what should be done?”

Lord Brendis’s eyes narrowed. “…No,” he said. “I do not.”

“Then may we continue with the meeting?”

Lord Brendis glared at Elyan for a moment longer, but he did not speak further for the rest of the meeting, and the moment it was dismissed, he stood from his chair and bolted from the room.

Elyan could only feel relieved at that.

“Wonderful meeting, again, Sir Elyan.”

Elyan turned to his side, baffled.

There was Kaidegan - Elyan hadn’t even noticed he’d approached - standing right next to the chair and looking at Elyan as if waiting for something. “I thought you did a brilliant job,” Kaidegan continued, coming a bit too close to Elyan for his comfort.

“Uh, thank you, Lord Kaidegan,” Elyan said, leaning just a bit away. “Did you need something?”

Kaidegan glanced around at who was left - a handful of knights and lords, including Percival - before giving Elyan a smile that, if Elyan had to describe it, he would have called waxy. “No - I just wanted to let you know I support you.”

And then with that, he left.

Elyan blinked after him, confused, and shared the look with Percival. He could only shrug.

Then, one by one, everyone else filed out, until it was just Elyan and Percival left.

(And if Gwaine noticed that Percival lingered behind afterwards, well, he certainly wasn’t going to do anything to stop it.)

~

Over the following few days, Percival and Elyan fell into place with each other as naturally as if they were breathing. They had already spent time together when they could, but now their touches lingered longer, their gazes were softer, and Elyan took every chance he could to give Percival’s forehead a kiss.

(It was a challenge, yes, but Percival was more than happy to duck his head down when Elyan wanted him to, and Percival soaked up the easy affection as if it were rain after a hot summer day.)

In all, Elyan felt like he was walking on air.

Though, they elected to keep this change in their relationship to themselves for the time being - just until Gwen and Arthur returned.

Speaking of -

“Excited for Gwen and Arthur to return?”

 _“Very,”_ Elyan said through a laugh, staring out at the castle from his and Percival’s spot up on the hill where they had managed to sneak away for a few minutes. In three days, Gwen and Arthur would be home, and Elyan could go back to being just a knight - just a knight at Percival’s side during training, patrols, and for everything else. Percival’s head rested on Elyan’s lap, with him staring through the leaves to the sky above. “I can hardly wait. I just want to go back to my normal duties - no more of this running council meetings, or listening to petitioners.”

Percival tipped his head back so he could look up at Elyan. “I think you’ve done a great job.”

Elyan laughed. “Thank you,” he said. “But I’m in no hurry to do it again.”

“…what about being in line for the throne?” Percival asked. “Have you thought about that?”

“I have,” Elyan said. He looked out to the castle. “I think I’m going to accept.”

Percival looked surprised. He titled his head back to see Elyan’s face once more. “Really?”

Elyan nodded. “I’ve done a lot of thinking about it,” he said, lightly scratching his fingernails though Percival’s scalp. “Yes, running the kingdom is a lot of work and those first days were hell…but I think I should accept. I know I’ll have people to help me. And, after all, it’s only in case something happens to Arthur and Gwen.”

“Well, hopefully it’ll never come to that,” Percival said, reaching over to grab Elyan’s hand. He wove their fingers together, kissed Elyan’s knuckles, before resting their hands on his chest. “But if it ever does, I’ll be right there to support you.”

Elyan smiled, and he bent over to kiss Percival. “Thank you. You’ve made this more bearable than you know,” he whispered, before brushing their lips together once more.

When they separated a few minutes later, Percival looked up at Elyan with soft eyes. He asked, voice quiet, “Care to join me tonight?”

Elyan smiled, and lightly ran his fingers over Percival’s cheek. “I’ll be there,” he murmured.

~

That night, while Elyan was with Percival in his bed, a shadow made its way to Elyan’s room. It stepped over unconscious guards, and easily picked the lock before slipping inside.

It would be morning before anyone discovered anything was wrong.

~

Percival and Elyan awoke to the sounds of the warning bells ringing.

Both of them bolted upright, then they shared a wide-eyed glance.

But within minutes, both of them were dressed and armed, and flinging open Percival’s door and entering the hallway.

The castle corridors were awash with people moving about, and Elyan asked a couple if they knew what was happening, but all responded that they didn’t know yet.

Elyan and Percival shared another glance before turning and rushing to the throne room - the rendezvous point for when the bells rang.

They rounded a corner and found Gwaine at the other end rushing towards them.

Gwaine spotted them - then stopped in shock. He visibly slumped in relief. “Oh, _thank the gods!”_ he exclaimed, before running down the hallway towards the two of them. “Elyan! You scared us, mate!”

Elyan met him partway, Percival right behind him. “What happened?” he demanded.

Gwaine was out of breath. “The servant - the one who brings you breakfast? She went to your room and found it a wreck - everything’s overturned - the guards down the hallway had been knocked out and you were gone! We thought you’d been abducted!”

Elyan stared, trying to process this. His room was broken into? Guards were attacked? “What-?”

Then Gwaine lurched forward and grabbed Elyan tight in a hug.

“Don’t - don’t _scare_ me like that again, alright?”

“Gwaine, I’m fine.”

“But I thought you weren’t!” Gwaine snapped as he leaned back. Then he realized that he had shouted, and glanced away. “Sorry,” he said. But then he took in several deep breaths and straightened. He swallowed. “Mordred’s guarding your room right now. We wanted to make sure no one got in.”

Elyan nodded. “Very good. Are the guards who were attacked alright?”

“They’re being seen to now. They were just knocked out and as far as I know, they’ll be fine.”

Elyan sighed in relief at that, before he nodded. He waved down a passing guard and told them to send word to cease the warning bell, and within moments they were heading to his room.

Mordred was stationed by the Elyan’s door when they arrived, blocking anyone from going in. He straightened when Elyan approached.

“Has anyone else been in?” Elyan asked.

Mordred shook his head. “I’ve been waiting for you, first.”

Elyan nodded, and he approached to the door as Mordred stepped aside. He lifted his hand, hesitated for just a moment, before he grabbed the handle and twisted.

Elyan pushed open his door.

He took in a sharp breath.

Sure enough, everything had been overturned: papers were flung all over from his toppled desk, his bedclothes were scattered everywhere. His wardrobe was still upright and only just ajar, but the clothing from inside had been flung every which way. One window had been shattered, and broken glass covered the floor.

It was a disaster, and Elyan could only stop and stare in shock.

Who had done this? And for what reason?

“…Elyan?”

Elyan shook himself free of his stupor. “We need to find out who did this,” he said. “Look for clues.”

Gwaine stepped in, followed by Percival and Mordred, and together they all started to examine the chaos.

Gwaine crouched down and began gathering the scattered papers, his brow furled as he glanced through them. “Were they looking for something?”

Elyan could only shake his head. “I don’t know. If they were, I haven’t the faintest idea what for.”

Mordred came and stood by Elyan, and his expression was that of slight confusion. “Elyan?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“…I’m not sure,” Mordred said. “There’s _something_ that doesn’t feel right about this.”

Percival stopped and turned - pausing just before he opened the wardrobe - and Gwaine looked up at him. “One of your _funny feelings?”_

“Something like that,” Mordred said, stepping into the room. He looked at Elyan. “Wait here. None of you touch anything.”

Elyan nodded. Percival and Gwaine went and stood by Elyan too, leaving Mordred alone to examine the room.

All of them had learned to never dismiss Mordred or Merlin’s bad feelings - goodness knows they had saved their necks many times over.

Mordred slowly crossed the room, his eyes faintly glowing gold. His boots crunched on the broken glass, and he turned his head back and forth as if he was trying to pinpoint the source of a sound.

Elyan shared a glance with Percival, before watching Mordred once more.

After several moments of silence, Mordred then turned and nodded at Elyan’s still-upright wardrobe. The gold faded from his eyes. “There.”

“Do you know what’s wrong?”

Mordred shook his head, “I can’t tell that. Just that something seems strange,” before stepping back to Elyan, Percival, and Gwaine’s

side. He lifted a hand in a clear indication he was about to use magic.

He looked to Elyan.

Elyan nodded. “Open it.”

Mordred nodded, before he let out a low breath. After a silent moment, he flicked his wrist and his eyes flashed gold.

The doors slammed open.

They heard the twang of a string, and something shot out.

An arrow embedded itself in the far wall.

~

“So what do we know?” Elyan asked, glancing around at the scant number of knights he had called for the emergency meeting - no lords, just the knights he trusted most.

Beneath the table, Elyan’s hand was held tight in Percival’s, something to comfort them both while they discussed what all this meant.

Gwaine was unable to sit, and he was pacing back and forth behind his unoccupied chair. 

Mordred stood and looked at the knights at the table. “Early this morning, two guards who were stationed near the hallway with the Regent’s chambers were attacked. Both were knocked out, and did not rouse until this morning. Whoever attacked them then went to Sir Elyan’s room and set up a rigged crossbow in the wardrobe, designed to fire when opened, and also ransacked the room. We don’t know why, but,” Mordred looked up, “I think it’s safe to assume that whoever did this set up that crossbow with the intent to kill you.”

“That would be the safest bet,” Gwaine said as he finally took a seat. “I say we take too many precautions rather than too little.”

“I agree,” Mordred said. “But we need to also think about who would want to do this.”

“My money’s on Brendis,” Gwaine said with a glower. “He’s never liked you - he’s never liked any of us. And you did finally put him in his place the other day.”

“Gwaine, we have no evidence that he’s the one who did this,” Elyan responded. “It could be anyone for all we know. We can’t just go around making baseless accusations - it won’t lead to anything good.”

“Then what do you suggest we do?” Gwaine asked, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. “I don’t want to just sit around and wait until this assassin tries again.”

 _Assassin._ The thought sent a shiver down Elyan’s spine, and he felt Percival stiffen at his side.

If his grip on Percival’s hand got tighter, Percival didn’t say anything.

Elyan thought for several moments. “Find evidence. Ask around,” he said. “I’ll take extra precautions to keep myself safe -”

“I’ll stay with him,” Percival said immediately. “I won’t leave his side.”

Elyan nodded at Percival in acknowledgment. “- and I’ll…sleep somewhere else. Someone no one knows so whoever this is won’t be able to find me when I’m vulnerable.”

Gwaine nodded, satisfied with that. 

Then Gwaine seemed to take charge, ordering different knights to go talk to different guards and people living in sections of the castle. He kept glancing at Elyan, but Elyan simply waved him ahead and let him continue. The knights began filing out to their assignments.

“Mordred, you’re with me,” Gwaine said. “We’re going to go to Brendis.”

Mordred nodded and stood, and he followed Gwaine from the room in a flurry of Camelot red.

Most of the knights were now gone, but a few lingered behind, undoubtedly wanting to be extra guard to keep Elyan safe.

Percival leaned over and whispered, “How are you feeling?”

Elyan rubbed at his forehead. Was it really yesterday that it felt like he had all of this figured out? He let out a dry laugh, “When Arthur said I’d get a taste for what it’s like running the kingdom, I don’t think he meant I’d get to know what it’s like to have an assassin after me.”

Percival blinked, eyes saddened, before he sighed. “Come here,” he murmured, pulling Elyan into a hug.

Elyan sunk into the embrace easily, taking comfort from Percival’s strong hold for just a few moments.

Then he sat up himself. “We’d better find out who did this. Gwaine’s right - we don’t want to just sit around until they try again.”

But despite their determination, the first day yielded nothing. 

Percival didn’t leave Elyan’s side for the rest of the day, just as he said he wouldn’t, but no threats made themselves apparent. Percival’s presence helped to keep Elyan calm, but at the end of the day he was still emotionally stretched thin.

“Brendis isn’t the one,” Gwaine said, glaring into his cup of water that night. He, Elyan, Mordred, and Percival were all in Percival’s room, deciding that would be the place for Elyan to be while they figured out who did this. Mordred knelt by the door, his eyes glowing gold as he ran his hands around the doorjam, muttering spells under his breath to make sure no one who they didn’t want to got in.

Gwaine down the last of his glass before he continued, “None of the others reported anything suspicious to me.”

Elyan chewed his lip while he thought. “It could be someone not in the castle,” he pointed out. “We just assumed that because we didn’t see anyone get in.”

“But it _could_ too,” Gwaine said. He leaned back and rubbed his hands over his face. “Mordred and I know the people we talked to weren’t lying, but we can’t say for anyone else. But we can’t afford to interview the entire castle.”

It was at that moment Mordred let out a heavy breath. He stood and came over to the table.

“That should hold for a bit if someone tries to break in,” Mordred said. “It’s not like anything Merlin can do, but it’s better than nothing.”

Percival nodded in thanks. 

Elyan looked Mordred over.

Heavy bags were under his eyes, and he was swaying a bit on his feet. He must have been using his magic the whole day to sense if people were lying, and warding the door just now likely didn’t help at all.

Elyan said, “Mordred, you’re exhausted. Go get some rest.”

“But, Elyan -”

“Mordred,” Elyan said. “You _look_ exhausted. You look like you’re about to collapse. You’ve warded the door; only you, Gwaine, and Percival know I’m in here; and Percival will be here the whole time. I should be fine tonight.”

Mordred looked ready to protest more, but he only sighed and nodded. “Well…good night, then,” he said, before he went to the door and left for the night.

Gwaine waited for a minute - giving Mordred some time to build distance and to keep clues as to Elyan’s whereabouts low - before he stood. He looked at the two of them.

“Stay safe,” Gwaine said. “I’ll be right next door, so if anything happens - just shout.”

And with that, Gwaine went to the door. He looked both ways down the hallway, before he stepped through and left.  
Elyan and Percival were silent as they readied themselves for bed, and once they had climbed in, Elyan only laid awake, holding Percival close to him and getting all the comfort he could from the touch.

Elyan stared up at the ceiling and racking his brain as he tried to figure out who it was who did this, and in his arms, Percival did the same.

Neither of them slept that entire night.

~

The night passed without issue. Percival and Elyan met Gwaine, Mordred, and the other knights for a meeting first thing in the morning to discuss if anything new had been found.

But to their bitter disappointment, no new leads had turned up.

The day passed slowly after that - Elyan constantly on guard for anything that might happen, and Percival continually surveying the area for any threats. Elyan still performed his regent duties: the petitioners, the paperwork, the meetings, but his mind was elsewhere throughout it all.

Percival even brought Elyan out to check on Cleo – the chicken adapting well to her new home – but even watching the chickens for a few moments couldn’t keep his mind away from it.

It was only Percival’s steady presence at his side that kept him grounded.

“I expect it’s just another enemy of the kingdom,” Elyan was telling him. “Someone who wants to get rid of the regent while the king and queen are away.”

“Why wait so long, then?” Percival asked. “Gwen and Arthur are coming home the day after tomorrow.”

Elyan sighed. “I don’t know.” He turned to Percival, mouth open to speak.

He only just noticed the cloaked figure coming from the turn-off.

Elyan’s eyes widened.

“Percival-!” he exclaimed, yanking Percival aside.

He was only just too slow, the knife slicing Percival right in his exposed bicep.

Percival gasped in pain, but he rounded with his other arm raised to protect Elyan from the incoming strike. His arm blocked the second swing, and Percival twisted and threw the assailant into the wall.

Elyan took a couple steps backwards, and unsheathed his sword to ready it.

Percival did the same, standing next to Elyan in the hallway. But only one hand was on his sword, the other pressed to the bleeding wound on his arm.

The assailant’s hood fell back, and he turned.

Elyan took in a sharp breath - he recognized that man.

Kaidegan met Elyan’s gaze with a sneer, before coming forward with his knife once more.

Elyan parried it, stepping back.

But they were at a disadvantage: the hallway wasn’t big enough to handle someone with a sword, let alone two.

Percival seemed to realize this too, and he threw his sword behind himself to distance it from the fight.

He pulled a different weapon from his waist: this one about the length of a dinner plate, and thin and conical.

Elyan kept his grip tight on his sword, meeting Kaidegan’s gaze evenly.

Kaidegan assessed them, his gaze flicking between the two.

But he was foolhardy, and went straight for Elyan.

Elyan easily parried the knife once more, and sent him careening towards Percival.

Percival drove the rondel straight through Kaidegan’s pauldron and into his shoulder.

Kaidegan gasped in pain, and collapsed to one knee.

That was all it took. Elyan took the moment to drive the hilt of his sword to Kaidegan’s head, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious. 

Neither Percival nor Elyan moved for a moment, both breathing heavily. 

Elyan glanced around the hallway, and turned to look the other way.

No one else was near, and Kaidegan was out cold.

Elyan turned to Percival. “You’re hurt,” he said hurriedly, dropping his sword in favor of examining the wound on Percival’s bicep.

“I’ve had worse,” Percival responded, not taking his eyes off Elyan. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine,” Elyan said, ripping off a part of his shirt to staunch the blood. He pressed it over the cut, before looking up to meet

Percival’s eyes. “Thank you.”

Percival smiled, albeit bleakly, before he rested his forehead against Elyan’s while still taking in labored breaths.

They heard running footsteps, and looked up to see Gwaine, Mordred, and a handful of guards rushing down to them.

“We heard fighting - what happened?!”

“Kaidegan attacked us,” Elyan explained. “Percival has a cut, but otherwise we’re unharmed.”

“Kaidegan?” Gwaine exclaimed, before looking right at where he was unconscious on the ground.

Mordred stepped to Percival. “Let me see the cut.”

Elyan pulled back the cloth.

Mordred pressed his hand over the wound and muttered a small spell.

Percival hissed in discomfort, but that was all. Mordred pulled back his hand to reveal the wound was bleeding slower.

“That’s all I can do,” he said. “I still recommend you get it treated by the physician.”

Percival nodded, gently taking the fabric from Elyan’s hand and pressing it over the cut.

Two guards then stepped forward and began to hoist Kaidegan from the ground.

“He’s injured,” Elyan quickly told them. “Percival stabbed him in the shoulder.”

Gwaine nodded in acknowledgment. “I’ll see he gets treated,” Gwaine said, though not without anger. He looked at Percival and Elyan once more. “Percival? Big man? You’ll be alright?”

Percival nodded. He was still leaning on Percival’s side, but it was more to keep him close than actual weariness.

Gwaine looked them over, still a bit skeptical, but he nodded. 

And without a word, he began to follow the guards carrying Kaidegan to the dungeons.

Percival and Elyan grabbed their swords and resheathed them, before they headed to the physician’s tower to get Percival’s cut looked at. Mordred accompanied them part of the way, but once they were close enough, he said he would go inform the rest of the knights and guard of what had happened, and left to do just that.

Elyan’s mind was still on the fight, brief though it was.

Then he looked up at Percival as he realized something.

“You used the rondel I made.”

Percival did manage to smile a bit. “It hadn’t left my person since you gave it to me.”

Elyan let out a small wry laugh. “I didn’t expect you to need it so soon - or at all for that matter.”

“Well, that can’t be helped. I’m just grateful you did.”

Elyan smiled, before pulling Percival down to press another kiss to his forehead.

And just as Percival hadn’t left Elyan’s side for the last day, Elyan never strayed from Percival’s for the rest of that one.

He was there as his arm was bandaged, and the two of them walked hand in hand back to Percival’s chambers to await Gwaine’s report of the interrogation.

It was in there they waited for news, the two of the sitting on Percival’s bed, hands intertwined, and leaning against the other.

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Elyan said.

The door opened, and Gwaine stepped inside.

Elyan and Percival sat up. “Well?” Elyan asked.

Gwaine let out a low breath, and pulled a chair from Percival’s table. “Well, for starters, Kaidegan says he acted alone,” he said as he sat down, looking at Elyan. “Mordred says he’s the telling the truth - there’s no one else we have to worry about.”

Elyan blinked, before he slumped against Percival in relief, only just realizing how worried he’d been that there would be more.  
Percival pulled Elyan closer to his side, face to his hair as he too let out a shuddering breath of relief.

Gwaine shrugged. “Apparently the plan was to become your ally while Arthur and Gwen were gone, and after you died…he thought that it would mean we would appoint him to be in charge, and then he would have just needed to work from there. In all, not a very smart plan, if you ask me.”

Elyan considered it for a moment, before shaking his head. “No…it really isn’t.”

“I suppose we just need to be thankful he didn’t get lucky. Luck and bad men are never a good combination.”

Elyan huffed in agreement.

Gwaine smirked, before he straightened as he realized something. “Ah, and I believe this,” Gwaine said, pulling the rondel from his belt and holding it out to Percival, “Is yours. Don’t worry, I cleaned it for you.”

Percival took it back with a smirk, murmuring a quiet thanks before returning it to the small sheath at his waist.

But then he returned to his position of his face against Elyan’s hair, and Elyan reached up to grab his hand where it rested on his shoulder.

Gwaine smirked a bit, before he stood with a huff. “Well, I’ll handle anything that needs doing - paperwork, reports. I’ll just let you two lovebirds alone to get some rest.”

Elyan stiffened - they hadn’t told _Gwaine_ -

Then he realized their position, and how they had made no effort to hide it.

But - Gwaine had said nothing. Didn’t even raise an eyebrow. Elyan looked up at Gwaine. “You’re not surprised?”

Gwaine turned back from the door, looking confused. “About what?”

“About -” Elyan gestured between himself and Percival, “- us.”

“Oh, that you’re courting? Yeah, I knew.” 

“You did?”

Gwaine shrugged with a smirk. “I figured it out when you both arrived to a meeting looking like cats who had got the cream.” His smile then turned softer, and he said with absolute sincerity, “It’s not a bad look on either of you. Being in love. You both deserve it.”  
Without another word, Gwaine opened the door and swept through, certainly leaving the two lovebirds alone to their rest.

And with Gwen and Arthur finally returning home the day after tomorrow, and no longer worrying about an assassin, Elyan found he could finally get it.

~

Elyan didn’t think he had ever been more relieved to hear the sound of a returning traveling party.

Percival, Gwaine, and Mordred all stood at his side, alongside other knights and servants, as they listened to the sound of horses get louder and reach the courtyard.

Then horses came into view, and Elyan lit up as he recognized one of the riders in front.

“Gwen!” he exclaimed with a wide smile, running down the stairs to greet his sister.

Gwen rode to the foot of the steps, smiling widely as well, and she dismounted as quickly as she could and went straight to Elyan.

“Elyan!”

“It’s wonderful to see you again,” Elyan said as he pulled her tight into a hug. “How was Nemeth?”

“Wonderful,” Gwen said as she moved back. “The conference went very well. Princess Mithian was very kind and she already has plans to come and visit us here sometime. And it’s beautiful over there.”

Elyan smiled. “I remember. I’d only been there once, but I’ll never forget it.”

Gwen greeted Percival, Gwaine, and Mordred with hugs as well as Arthur finally rode up behind them. He stopped his horse and dismounted, before looking over the knights with a satisfied look. “Well, the castle’s still here. That’s a good sign. I take it it didn’t burn down?”

Gwaine inhaled loudly through his teeth. “Well, you haven’t seen the back yet.”

Arthur’s face fell. “What.”

“He’s joking with you, sire,” Mordred said with a smug smirk at Gwaine. “No parts of the castle burned while you were away.”

Gwaine scoffed in annoyed amusement. “Well _now_ he knows that - but I wanted to see him try to figure out what part burned.”

Gwen laughed, but then she let out a short breath. “How were things here? I assume there weren’t many issues.”

Percival and Elyan shared a glance, and Gwaine tried to hide his sputter with a cough. “Well,” Elyan started, glancing at Gwaine where he must have inhaled saliva, and was now coughing up a racket. Mordred, mercifully, went over and began lightly slapping his back. “I’ll give you the full report later, but…for the most part it wasn’t too bad. There was an argument over a chicken that lasted a few days and led to…two trials, one lord insists you need to give him a moat and he won’t listen to otherwise, and Lord Kaidegan did try to assassinate me -”

 _“What?!”_ both Gwen and Arthur exclaimed, horrified.

Gwen lurched forward to grab his arms and began looking over Elyan in earnest. “Oh gods, Elyan, are you alright?!”

“I’m fine, Gwen. I wasn’t hurt,” he responded calmly and reassuringly. “He’s in the dungeons now. Gwaine and Mordred interrogated him and know that he was acting alone, so we have nothing further to worry about from him.”

Gwen and Arthur both stared at them for a moment, before Gwen pulled Elyan into a hug again. She let out a shaking breath. “That’s good - I’m relieved.”

Elyan returned the hug. “Nothing happened. I’m fine. I promise.”

Arthur got over his stupor, before looking at the three knights, unamused. “I am never leaving you three alone and in charge again.”

Gwaine threw out his arms in exasperation. _“What?”_ he croaked, apparently not quite over his cough. “We handled it just fine!”

Arthur huffed, before tipping his head back and forth. “Alright, _yes,_ you did - considering you figured out who did it and managed to apprehend him before any real damage was done. Now go help unload, Gwaine. Merlin’s been eager to talk to you - I think he found something in Nemeth he thinks you’ll like.”

Gwaine’s face immediately lit up, and within a moment he was booking it into the fray of the traveling party to find Merlin.

Mordred stepped away to help with the unloading as well, leaving just Elyan and Percival at the base of the stairs with Arthur and Gwen.

“Well, time to pass over the rule of the kingdom,” Arthur said, holding out his hand.

Elyan smiled, and he lifted his hand to grab the ring from his finger. He slid it off, and placed it into Arthur’s waiting palm.  
And just like that, Elyan thought he felt a huge weight lifted from his shoulders.

Arthur nodded, slipped the ring back onto his own finger, before huffing. “Now then,” he said. “I expect you to meet me in half an hour to discuss how it went. I want a full debriefing.”

Elyan nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Arthur then smiled. “Very well done, Elyan. You did a great job.”

“You haven’t heard my report yet.”

Arthur only kept smiling. “The kingdom’s still here, and the people look just as happy as when I left. I count that as a good job.” He glanced around the courtyard for just a moment. “After your report, you have the next three days off - I know you’ll need rest after all of this.”

Elyan couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, sire. Thank you. I appreciate it.”

Arthur headed inside then, and several servants followed immediately after him. Elyan moved closer to Percival to get out of their way, and without even realizing, his hand slipped into Percival’s.

Gwen had stepped away to let the servants pass too, and when she looked back, she noticed something different.

“Oh, Elyan?”

Elyan turned to her.

Gwen’s smile was the tiniest bit mischievous, and her eyebrows were arched. “I take it something else happened while we were away, too?”

She pointedly glanced to where Elyan’s hand was held tight in Percival’s.

Elyan looked down at their hands, and his cheeks warmed at being so obviously caught.

But Gwen only smiled. She came over and took their clasped hands in hers.

“I’m happy for you. Truly,” she said, looking up at Percival, then to Elyan. “You have your sister’s approval.”

Elyan smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Gwen.”

Gwen smiled too, before she looked back over her shoulder. “I’d best oversee the unloading. Percival, would you be willing to help?”  
Percival nodded with a smile of his own. “I’d be more than happy to.”

“I’ll see you later,” Elyan said, and he gave Percival a quick kiss, before he headed inside to give Arthur his report of what had happened during the last three weeks.

~

After giving Arthur a full debriefing (well, a full debriefing of everything relevant - there were some things Arthur didn’t need to know), Elyan returned to his room.

It hadn’t been touched since he and the others had conducted their examination, Elyan wanting to make sure that it would still be intact in case Merlin returned before they found who had done this and needed him to conduct a little investigating of his own. 

But, now that everything had been resolved with Arthur agreeing to hold Kaidegan’s trial the next day, it was time to finally get everything sorted back to how it had been.

But when Elyan pushed open his door, he stopped in surprise to see Percival already inside and sweeping up glass.

He heard Elyan enter, and greeted him with a wide smile, before nodding at the table. “I have something there for you.”

“Oh?” Elyan said as he shut the door and stepped to it.

And sure enough, there was a bouquet of poppies sitting there, red and in bloom. “What’s this for?”  
“A congratulations for a job well done,” Percival responded, coming over and wrapping an arm around Elyan’s torso and pulling him to his side. “I know they’re you’re favorite.”

“They are,” Elyan said with a smile. He looked up at Percival. “Thank you.”

Percival smiled, and gave Elyan a quick kiss, before he stepped away and back to his task of sweeping up the broken glass.

Elyan set the poppies into his empty vase, before taking a seat and grabbing the stack of papers that needed to be sorted: which ones were to go back to Arthur, which were his to keep, and which to have put in the records. 

His clothes were already sorted and stored, and the crossbow had been returned to its place in the armory.

(The indentation from the arrow was still in the wall, but Merlin said he would mend that when he and Gwaine brought the glass to replace the broken window later that day.)

“A couple of your tapestries were damaged,” Percival brought up. “Are you going to get those mended?”

Elyan hummed for a moment. “I think I’ll have them repaired, but I don’t think I’ll put them back. I’ve been meaning to redecorate, actually.”

Percival looked over, brow furled. “Oh? How come?”

“I think I want to put some artwork instead,” Elyan said, looking to Percival and giving a smile. “Do you think you could help me with that?”

Percival blinked.

Then he smiled too. “I would love to.”

They got the glass cleaned, and the two of them elected to wait on Elyan’s bed for Merlin and Gwaine, Elyan’s head on Percival’s shoulder while they simply talked and cuddled close.

But, after such long weeks, combined with the cool breeze and Percival’s warmth, Elyan found his eyes drifting shut without meaning to, and before he knew it he was asleep against Percival.

And, well, Percival only sat there in silence, rubbing soothing patterns onto Elyan’s back, before he too found himself drifting off in the summer warmth.

And when Merlin and Gwaine stopped by later, glass for the window in hand, and found Percival and Elyan both asleep in the bed, cuddled close together, they shared a silent moment of raised eyebrows and quirked lips, before leaving the glass and Elyan and Percival to their nap.

Neither of them were going to disturb Elyan or Percival from getting some well-deserved rest.


End file.
